Vibratory unit for box springs



Oct. 18, 1966 c. OLIVER VIBRATORY UNIT FOR BOX SPRINGS Filed Feb. 10, 1964 INVENTOR. ARMEN OL/ VER ATTORNEYS United States Patent C) 3,279,461 VIBRATORY UNIT FOR BOX SPRINGS Carmen Oliver, Silver Creek, N.Y., assignor to American Massage Sales & Mfg. Crp., Silver Creek, N.Y. Filed Feb. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 343,750 3 Claims. (Cl. 12833) The present invention relates to kinesitherapy and particularly to a device which may be readily attached to a box spring in order to provide kinesitherapeutic action thereto. The soothing, mental and physical action of kinesitherapy is well known and, heretofore, mechanisms, for providing gentle vibratory massaging action have been built permanently into upholstery of furniture, couches and bedding equipment, as for instance box spring and mattresses.

It has also been proposed to provided detachable assemblies for incorporation into the usual box spring whereby a suitable vibrator may be clipped on to and assembled with guy wires of box springs. Such an attachment being relatively impermanent and not a positive one, is sometimes subject to disengagement during operation whereby the soothing effect of the assembly is interrupted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vibrator which possesses means for positive attachment to a usual box spring.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a vibrator which is easily and readily assembled with a usual box spring.

The device for providing kinesitherapeutic action to a box spring, for instance, is illustrated in the attached drawing, wherein FIG. 1 shows a box spring with portions cut away to show the vibrator attached to the helical coils of a conventional box spring, and

FIG. 2 is a front view in elevation of the vibrator attached to adjacent helical coils of the box spring, and

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation and partially in section of the device of FIG. 2, while FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the positive attaching members for securing the vibrator with a portion of the vibrator illustrated in phantom.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a usual box spring is shown at having a top covering member of canvas, or ticking 11, said spring having contained therein the usual helical coil springs aligned longitudinally and laterally of the box spring, four of such springs of the box spring being illustrated in FIG. 1 at 12, 13, 14 and 15, forming what may be called the box of the completed spring.

Adjacent coil springs, at the corners of the box, as is usual, are attached to each other, both in the longitudinal series of springs and in the lateral series of springs. Thus guy wire 16 anchors adjacent coil springs 12 and of the longitudinal series, for instance at the top thereof, while guy wire 17 firmly anchors the same adjacent coil springs 12 and 15 at the bottom thereof, such coil springs being afiixed to the box spring body in any conventional manner. In like fashion, adjacent coil springs in the lateral series are attached as best illustrated by guy wires 19 and 20 at the top, and 21 and 22 at the bottom.

The vibrator unit 25 comprises a hollow cylindrical housing 26 open at each end of the cylinder and containing therein a rotatable shaft 27 which is coaxial with cylindrical housing 26. The motor is energized by electric feed wire 29 connected to the motor through electric inlet plug and grommet 30 which is attached to another housing portion 31 extending from the cylindrical housing 26 and which merges into an attaching and supporting base member 33.

3,279,461 Patented Oct. 18, 1966 As well illustrated in FIG. 3, the base member and housing are preferably die-cast, generally of nonferrous metal, or are moulded of suitable plastic, as for instance the acetal-formaldehyde copolymer sold as Celcon.

Motor shaft 27 has a cooling fan attached to it at one end and a depending arm 35 having a weight 36 attached thereto, at the other end, so that upon rotation of shaft 27, when motor 37 is energized, a uniform rhythmic vibration is produced throughout the member containing the eccentrically weighted device, which rhythmic vibratory action is transmitted to any member to which the device may be anchored.

For inducing the desired kinesitherapeutic action in a bed unit comprising a mattress and box spring, the device of the present invention is attached at any desired or selected position in the box spring by suspending the vibrator unit in the so-called box, that is, between two adjacent coil springs in the longitudinal series and the two companion springs, in the lateral series as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The installation of the vibratory unit is best made by placing the box spring upon its face. In this position, the bottom of the box spring will be facing upwardly and is normally exposed or open; if not, the ticking may be readily removed to expose the springs. To support the vibratory unit, tie bar 43 would be placed over the top portion or coil of adjacent helical coils 12 and 13. The tie bar is provided with drilled receiving apertures 42 for receiving the clamping bolts 43. The base member 33 of the housing carrying the motor of the vibrator member is formed of a predetermined length to extend between adjacent rows of the lateral courses of the coil springs, for instance, and this base is placed upon tie bar 40 and embraced by a companion tie bar 45 drilled similarly to tie bar 40 for registry and assembly so that the securing bolt members 43 may tightly assemble the base of the vibratory unit.

It will be noted, by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, that when assembled in this fashion, the upper helical numbers of coil springs 12 and 13 are embraced between upper and lower tie bars 40 and 45, respectively, as is base member 33 of the vibratory unit, since the flanged ends of base are drilled to receive the central locking bolt member 43.

Since it is desired that the vibratory unit be tightly and permanently held after assembly within the box of four adjacent springs, the ever present tendency of the fastening and securing bolt members to loosen must be maintained at a minimum and, to this end, means are provided for maintaining the securing bolts 43 in tightly assembled relation. Between upper and lower tie bars 46 and 45, a spacing, frictional stop-nut member is assembled provided with a face 48 which cooperates with the tie bar 40 by resting tightly thereagainst. This member is provided with a pair of depending flanges 49 of a size to register within the bolt-receiving aperture 46 in lower tie bar 45, such flanges pressing against the threaded shank of bolts 43 with greater force, the more tightly bolt 51 is drawn. The final tightly secured and completed assembly is perfected by attaching to the outer face at tie bar 45, an additional securing member such as split washer ring 50, between such bar and the nut 51. A similar assembly is made at the other end of the tie bars. The flanges of base 33 are secured between the tie bars in similar fashion as shown in FIG. 3 except that a spacing washer is provided between the lower face of the lower tie bar and the split washer. When the whole assembly is tightened, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the flanged ends of base 33 are maintained in a tightly assembled arrangement which insures that bolts 43 do not work away from the tie bars, thereby accentuating the action of the vibratory member when in use, further to accentuate loosening and disengagement of the bolts.

It will be noted that during assembly, the box spring is placed with its face downwardly, but when in use the vibratory assembly is, in fact, suspended from the top of the box spring, as is clearly shown in FIG. 1.

The kinesitherapeutic action is, in general, imposed for short periods of time, on the order of a few minutes to a half hour, in most cases, although it may be employed for periods of time either of greater or lesser duration and, generally, electric cord 29, extending from a source of current to the motor through socket and grommet 30, will be interrupted by a conventional timing mechanism (not shown) provided with means for predetermining or preselecting the duration of the operation of the vibratory unit.

In summary, therefore, the invention comprises an assemblage readily connected to a box spring having a unit of four coil springs forming a box wherein a pair of tie rods embrace a top coil of the spring at one corner of the box, the tie rods running to and embracing a top coil of the spring at an adjacent corner of the box. A companion pair of tie rods, parallel to the first pair of tie rods, embrace a top coil of each of the springs at the remaining two corners of the box. A vibrating unit is assembled between the two pairs of tie rods and is connected thereto by means of a base having flanges at opposite ends thereof, which base extends from the first pair of tie rods to the second pair of tie rods and is secured thereto by the flanges at the opposite ends of the base.

What is claimed is:

1. In a box spring, a unit of four coil springs forming the box, a pair of tie rods embracing a top coil of the spring at one corner of the box and running to and embracing a top coil of the spring at an adjacent corner of the box, a companion pair of the tie rods parallel to said first pair of tie rods, said second pair of tie rods embracing a top coil of each of the springs at the remaining two corners of the box and a vibratory unit formed with a base having flanges at opposite ends thereof, said base extending from said first pair of tie rods to said second pair of tie rods and being secured with said flanges being received by said tie rods, and means for clamping said tie rods to said flanges .and said coils.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein means are provided between each pair of tie rods to prevent inadvertent loosening thereof when in place.

3. An assemblage adapted to be attached to the four coil springs forming the box of a box spring, comprising a vibratory unit formed with a base, a first pair of tie rods having a length to extend from a top coil of the spring at one corner of the box and run to and embrace a top coil of the spring at an adjacent corner of the box, a companion pair of tie rods adapted to be placed parallel to said first pair of tie rods, said second pair of tie rods having a length to embrace a top coil of each of the springs at the remaining two corners of the box, said base of the vibratory unit having flanges at opposite ends thereof for disposition between corresponding pairs of said tie rods, means for clamping the tie rods to said flanges and said coils, and means adapted to be placed between each pair of said tie rods to prevent inadvertent loosening of said tie rods when the latter are secured in place.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,892,108 6/1959 Moxley 128-36 X 3,035,572 5/1962 Houghtaling 12833 3,048,168 7/1962 Kamp 12833 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

L. W. TRAPP, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BOX SPRING, A UNIT OF FOUR COIL SPRINGS FORMING THE BOX, A PAIR OF TIE RODS EMBRACING A TOP COIL OF THE SPRING AT ONE CORNER OF THE BOX AND RUNNING TO AND EMBRACING A TOP COIL OF THE SPRING AT AN ADJACENT CORNER OF THE BOX, A COMPANION PAIR OF THE TIE RODS PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST PAIR OF TIE RODS, SAID SECOND PAIR OF TIE RODS EMBRACING A TOP COIL OF EACH OF THE SPRINGS AT THE REMAINING TWO CORNERS OF THE BOX AND A VIBRATORY UNIT FORMED WITH A BASE HAVING FLANGES AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, SAID BASE EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST PAIR OF TIE RODS TO SAID SECOND PAIR OF TIE RODS AND BEING SECURED WITH SAID FLANGES BEING RECEIVED BY SAID TIE RODS, AND MEANS FOR CLAMPING SAID TIE RODS TO SAID FLANGES AND SAID COILS. 